SVAC Needs Community Support
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This letter was written by Peter Strauss, Treasurer of the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps: I write to report on the current annual fund drive conducted by the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps. SVAC sent two letters to all Scarsdale households; one in October and one in December. Fewer than 20% of the recipients have responded with contributions, This falls considerably short of SVAC's prior year returns which have always been around 40%. Traditionally, 80% of our returns have come from residents contributing between $25 and $100, and these have amounted to about 80% of the monies raised. While this pattern remains constant in the current fund drive, because the number of respondents is only half of prior experience, the drive is far short of its goal.
A reliable emergency medical service is essential for any community. SVAC is that service for Scarsdale, averaging more than 100 emergency calls each month. We have a choice: continue the viability of SVAC with adequate funding from a generous community, or force the Village to negotiate with a commercial emergency medical service and add the much higher cost of such a service to everyone's tax bill. The choice is a no-brainer!
Contributions are welcome and will be gratefully acknowledged; Please send your donation to:
The Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps
P.O. Box 92
Scarsdale, NY 10583
Peter Strauss
SVAC Treasurer
Village Board Seeks Volunteers to Serve on Village Boards and Councils
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The Personnel Committee of the Village Board is asking residents interested in volunteering to serve on Village Boards, Councils and Committees to submit their names for consideration. New terms will begin April 1, 2013. This year, there are openings on most Boards and Councils. The Committee strongly encourages residents to apply for these positions.
Trustee Robert Harrison, Chair of the Personnel Committee, said interested residents are encouraged to submit their own names, together with a listing of community service and relevant professional background. It is also helpful for Scarsdale residents to provide written suggestions of individuals who should be considered for appointment. Please submit contact information including email addresses. The information may be submitted in one of two ways:
• Via the Village Website – At www.scarsdale.com, click "read more" under
* Volunteers Needed for Boards and Councils (located under Village News on the home page). On the next screen, complete the on-line application form under "Boards and Councils Applications" and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Via Village Hall – Alternatively, the information may be forwarded to Robert Harrison at Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale NY 10583
All materials should be received at the Village website or Village Hall by March 1, 2013. Residents should feel free to contact the Personnel Committee Chair, Robert Harrison by telephone at 914-725-0962 or e-mail at [email protected]. You may also contact the
Village Clerk, Donna Conkling at 914-722-1175 or via e-mail, [email protected] for further information.
Pursuant to the general policy adopted by the Village Board, guidelines for membership on Scarsdale's appointed Boards, Councils and Committees cover four areas:
1. Residency
Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils are comprised of residents of the Village. While comments from outside the community can be sought as needed, actions recommended or taken by Boards, Committees and Advisory Councils should ultimately reflect the views of Village residents.
2. Professional or Business Affiliation
Various professional skills and training are required by Village law or deemed desirable by the Village Board of Trustees for the successful fulfillment of some Board, Council or Committee charters.
3. Civic Interest and Involvement
The majority of the members of Village Boards and Councils are appointed by reason of demonstrated interest in Village affairs, through volunteer involvement. Scarsdale is the beneficiary of a long history of voluntary civic endeavors. Since the overriding purpose of Boards, Committees and Councils is to assure the continuation of high community standards, it is appropriate that members on Boards, Committees and Councils be those residents who have demonstrated willingness and initiative to work in support of this objective.
4. Specialized Knowledge
Certain Boards, Committees and Councils benefit by having one or more members with specialized knowledge. For example, the Cable Television Commission benefits by having people with knowledge of the communications industry; the Advisory Council on People With Disabilities would benefit from the experience of residents with disabilities; the Advisory Council on Youth would benefit from people who have worked with young people; the Advisory Council on Parks and Recreation would benefit from having a parent active in the Recreation Department's Elementary School Sports Program.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made in writing and should include information on the candidates' civic involvement, work experience or other qualifications in sufficient detail to help the Village Board evaluate the prospective candidate. Applications should be submitted via the Village website or sent to Trustee Robert Harrison at Village Hall, 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 by March 1, 2013.
The following are the terms of office, and responsibilities for members appointed to the Boards, Councils and Committees:
BOARD OF APPEALS - (5 years - one term). Rules on appeals from zoning requirements, including setbacks; on permits for construction of swimming pools and tennis courts, and on non-conforming uses.
BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW - (3 years - two terms). Its basic purpose is to preserve the character and appearance of the Village. Review of all applications involving construction of buildings, or additions to, or reconstruction of existing buildings affecting the exterior appearance.
PLANNING BOARD - (5 years - one term). Advises Village Board on master planning; rules on applications for sub-division of lots, street designations, construction in wetland areas and non-residential buildings.
BOARD OF ETHICS - (5 years - one term). Possible conflicts of interest or other
issues of ethics affecting Village personnel are referred to this Board by the Board of Trustees.
CABLE TELEVISION COMMISSION - (5 years - open-ended terms). Administers and monitors the Cable Franchise Agreements with the Village and encourages use of the cable access channels.
CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises the Village Board on such matters as programs, areas, facilities, public relations and other matters pertaining to conservation of the environment.
COMMITTEE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION - (3 years - two terms). Determines if a structure located in the Village for which a permit for demolition has been requested is a structure of historical importance.
LIBRARY BOARD - (5 years - one term). Responsible for the administrative and operating policies of the Scarsdale Public Library. Operates independently of the Village Board and selects its own President.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Village Board in matters of concern to residents with disabilities. Assists with programs and activities, increases public awareness of the needs of the disabled, acts as liaison with other Advisory Councils, and promotes participation in community affairs by disabled persons.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HUMAN RELATIONS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Considers and recommends actions at the request of the Village Board to foster mutual respect and understanding among all members of the community.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PARKS AND RECREATION - (2 years - open-ended terms). Promotes the recreation program in the Village and advises the Village Board on the use of Village parks for recreation and passive uses, recommends the use or non-use of all open space, and acts as a liaison between the Village Board and the community on all matters relating to recreation and parks.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SCARSDALE SENIOR CITIZENS - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the Board of Trustees in all matters concerning the senior citizens of the Village of Scarsdale.
TOWN BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW - (5 years – open-ended terms). This Board reviews property tax grievances filed with respect to property tax assessments.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TECHNOLOGY - (2 years - open-ended terms). This Council has a broad mandate in advising the Village Board and staff on technological matters. It provides advice, explores strategic options, and develops recommendations on how the Village Board can best utilize technology, including the Internet to improve efficiencies.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON YOUTH - (2 years - open-ended terms). Advises and assists the
Board of Trustees in responding to the needs of Scarsdale's young people and works to
generate a favorable climate for growth and development of youth in the community.
JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE - (5 years - two terms). The Committee's function is to assist the Citizens' Nominating Committee and the Mayor, respectively with the selection of individuals who are qualified for the offices of Village Justice and Acting Village Justice.
REPRESENTATIVE TO SCARSDALE ARTS COUNCIL - (2 years - open-ended terms). At-large representative (total of 4 appointed by the Village Board) to the Scarsdale Arts Council Board. The Council's mission is to encourage the arts to flourish in Scarsdale by, among other methods, improving communication among arts programs and by attracting grant support and to raise public awareness and participation in the arts.
Tyler Technologies Provides Update on Real Estate Tax Revaluation
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Representatives from Tyler Technologies updated the Scarsdale Village Board and residents on their progress on the reassessment process at a January 16 meeting. Having completed the first residential property inspections, Tyler Technologies will soon be sending "data mailers" to each homeowner. The detailed "property description reports" will include information that the inspectors gathered in their visits related to both the exterior and interior of each residence in addition to measures such as square footage of living space, quality of maintenance, and extent of cooling and heating systems throughout the home.
Much of the outcome of this process depends on residents reading and responding to these mailers. Residents are urged to take a few moments to look them over. If the information seems accurate, residents need only to maintain the document for their personal records. However, if homeowners would like to correct perceived inaccuracies, gather more information about the process, or request an additional (or first) inspection they must reply to the mailer by February 4. Without a response, the firm will assume that homeowners are satisfied with the accuracy of the report. Edgewood residents will be the first to receive such mailers. Next will be Fox Meadow, Heathcote, Quaker Ridge, and finally Greenacres. There is still time to schedule interior visits.
While the associates at Tyler Technologies will try to satisfy such requests, homeowners must reply by February 4 to receive any remedies. Also, if a calculation of number of bathrooms or living square footage seems inaccurate, Eric Hardy from Tyler says that the numbers may appear to be incorrect because they are reported in a different form than typical realtors' estimations. The data collectors follow a statewide protocol, which is available on their website and on the Internet. Residents should contact the firm if the values differ by a significant factor. They will be happy to come back or set up one-on-one meetings with homeowners to assure fairness and accuracy.
Hardy explained that the process "is going very well" and overall people have been satisfied with the professionalism and performance of the data collectors, all of whom carry identification cards and are registered with the Scarsdale Police Department. There are still many homes that need to be visited and it is in the homeowner's interest to allow the data collectors inside the home so they can accurately gauge the interior of the home. Otherwise, they may assume things about the home that add value – for instance, a finished basement – but are not actually present in the home.
Given the intense budget pressures consuming national politics and increasing tax rates in Scarsdale (see http://scarsdale10583.com/201212302942/village-voices/county-taxes-to-increase-6.33-for-scarsdale-residents.html), the idea of tax revaluation may be unwelcome to many residents. However, this process is long overdue in Scarsdale. While Scarsdale has not revalued homes since 1969 (see http://scarsdale10583.com/201207052567/village-voices/tax-reassessment-in-process-what-it-will-mean-for-you.html), some municipalities require revaluation every few years because the real estate market can fluctuate dramatically in a short amount of time and most homeowners tend to add value to their homes. In fact, revaluing is so common that major news networks and media sources have issued advice on the matter and list it as an effective way for people to ensure they are paying their fair share of taxes.
Generally, after the revaluation a third of the homes increase in value, a third decrease and a third remain approximately the same. Residents also need to be aware that appealing their assessment does not mean they are appealing their tax rate, only the basis upon which they will be taxed. All data collection is scheduled to be finished by May. The new assessments resulting from this revaluation will be implemented on June 1, 2014, which will first impact taxes on April 1, 2015. Before this, however, residents will be able to see the data collected from all homes in Scarsdale online and in paper at several locations throughout the Village. Mr. Hardy would caution residents not to take comparisons between homes as a deciding factor of fairness. "No two houses are exactly alike," he said, which can result in differing property assessments.
For residents, the most important thing will be to read over the "property description report" and respond to it accordingly. Remember, a non-response to this mailer signifies satisfaction with the results.
This article was contributed by Sarah Benowich. Now a senior at Cornell University, Benowich was a former editor of the Maroon in Scarsdale.
Geese Advocates Flock To Scarsdale Village Hall
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Animal rights advocates and vendors with solutions for geese control made a flap at Village Hall on Tuesday night 1-22 at the meeting of the Village Board of Trustees. They attended the meeting in response to a resolution that was passed on January 8 that authorized the village to retain the USDA to euthanize the geese at Library Pond and reprocess the meat for human consumption. Many of the speakers were not from Scarsdale but flocked to the area to defend the geese or to lobby for the Village to retain them to help move the geese out of town.
Among the vendors, was Robert Guadagna of Geesebusters who travelled to Scarsdale from Northport on Long Island to encourage the village to retain him to use his mechanical eagle and whistle to scare the geese away. He claimed that this humane method offered "a onetime payment for a lifetime solution" and said that his services had been used at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn and at the Catholic Cemetery in Rockville Center. Also before the board was John Anastas from Trumbull, CT who has developed a "fearwolf" which is a facsimile of a wolf that he has placed on his dock and in a pond to scare the geese away. He asked the Village Board to "allow us to test our solution."
Goose advocates also travelled from far and wide to protect Scarsdale's geese from extermination. Licensed wildlife rehabilitator Loraine Izzo said she was "appalled and dismayed that the village would resort to these extermination practices without doing research into alternatives." She urged the board to look into other methods of controlling the geese, saying, "we need to coexist with wildlife, that's how we will succeed on this earth."
Robin Gager, who grew up in Scarsdale and is the author of a cookbook for animal lovers called, Don't Eat Me, came to town on behalf of the geese. She explained that as a member of Goosewatch she spent the summer saving geese in New York City. She said she was "horrified" that the board would hire the USDA, calling them "contract killers like thugs or the mafia." She said that the USDA had tapped her phone and harassed her. She also warned that the geese would return saying, "you can get rid of ten and ten more will replace them." She recommended that the village find an organic solution such s growing tall marsh grass around the pond.
Lynn Manheim from Whitestone is also a member of Goosewatch and said, "Robin and I stood guard for the geese at Middle Bay Park. I will go and protect the geese wherever I need to go." She added, "These animals are not made for human consumption. They have all sorts of nasty stuff in their flesh."
Kylie Blackman, a Tuckahoe resident and a member of Westchester for Geese said that her group got involved with Yonkers to "interfere with this random killing." She applauded Yonkers' efforts to use the "goosinator," a radio controlled device to control the population. Saying, "They poop, I poop, you poop, we all poop," she said Yonkers was decent and intelligent and she "expects the same from Scarsdale." Ann Muller from Wildlife Watch in New Paltz NY told trustees that Rockland County initially killed unwanted geese but since 1994 they have developed non-lethal methods of goose dissuasion including border collies and egg addling. Speaking of the contract with the USDA she said, "Please don't sign that contract and you will spare the community all the dissension that you hear right now."
Among the local defenders was 50-year resident Robert Phillips of Bradley Road who said that his country club used a dog to rid themselves of the geese and Kim Gold who framed her argument as a moral dilemma. She said, "these are not the values we stand for as a community," and asked the trustees to take a comprehensive approach and consider a low wire fence around the pond, tall grasses, and feeding the birds bread laced with birth control. She also told the Board that her daughter submitted a petition defending the geese with 247 signatures from Scarsdale Middle School students.
Sharon Klahr of Central Avenue said that the pond is "a place to go interact with the geese." She said "geese are sentient, feeling beings," and told of seeing an autistic child reacting to the geese at library pond.
Nancy Magliari of Yonkers said, "you can measure the intelligence of a society by the way it treats its animals," and urged trustees to "change your mind." Steve Kanney of Bell Road said, "It seems to be evident that killing the geese won't solve the problem," and Nick from Ross Road said that "it should be a last resort to the kill the geese," and said that "The majority of people don't see the geese as a problem."
It is not known whether or not the Village has already paid the USDA the $5,054 to implement the program or if they will now reconsider the resolution that was passed at their January 8, 2013 meeting.
Republican Lawmakers Call for the Journal News to take down the Gun Map
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Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has made a formal request to the publisher of the Journal News, Janet Hasson, that she take down the interactive map on the newspaper's website that identifies those who have gun licenses and also lists their home addresses.
In his letter he says, "The Journal News has the right to request the information from the Westchester County Clerk's Office under the Freedom of Information Act.... But simply because the right to do something exists does not necessarily make it right to do."
In his letter Astorino states that the map "demonized individuals who did nothing wrong, violated their privacy and potentially put them and their families -- especially victims of domestic violence and current and former judges and law enforcement officials --in harm's way."
He ends by saying, " for the safety and welfare of our citizenry, I implore you once again to delete the information from your website. Taking down the map would be in the public's interest, which your newspaper is in the business to serve. "
On Monday, State Senator Greg Ball, a Republican from Putnam County claimed that a burglary on Davis Avenue in White Plains could be tied back to the publication of the interactive map in the Journal News.
In Balls view, "The Journal News has placed the lives of these folks at risk by creating a virtual shopping list for criminals and nut jobs. If the connection is proven, this is further proof that these maps are not only an invasion of privacy but that they present a clear and present danger to law-abiding, private citizens. Former convicts have already testified to the usefulness of the asinine Journal News 'gun maps' yet the reckless editors are evidently willing to roll the dice, gambling with the lives of innocent local homeowners."
Ball is introducing legislation to protect the privacy rights of citizens and to protect "lawful" gun owners. According to Ball, "The same elitist eggheads who use their editorial page to coddle terrorists and criminals are now treating law abiding citizens like level three sexual predators."
